A Co Tyrone man who allowed illegal waste from the Republic to be dumped on a farm was jailed for a year yesterday.
Omagh Crown Court, sitting in Belfast, also heard that John McKenna, only the second man to be jailed for illegal dumping, still faced prosecution under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
This could could see McKenna (49), Old Monaghan Road, Clogher, losing his 50-acre farm and/or paying a heavy fine.
Judge Kevin Finnegan told the divorced father-of-five he deserved jail "for the wilful pollution of our countryside and environment". The judge said McKenna had continually denied charges of illegal dumping between December 2003 and January 2004 "in the face of overwhelming evidence" and whether or not he gained little financially "is neither here nor there".
Tim Ferris QC, defending, said McKenna was "grossly embarrassed and humiliated by this", and said he had a "vulnerable personality, easily stressed out ".
Mr Ferris said McKenna, who also has a history of mental health problems, had inherited the "unproductive - marshy, boggy, hilly land - just the type of land that would be targeted by those wishing to dump waste coming up from the Republic of Ireland".
Urging the court to suspend the jail term, he claimed there was "no real risk that this type of offence is going to committed again by this defendant".